Tag Archives: west sacramento community news

Local singers perform at Nugget today

Hear the West Sacramento Singers in a free concert at 2 p.m. on Dec. 23 at the Nugget Market, Town Center Plaza in Southport.

For more information, email westsacsingers@gmail.com.

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

Cyclist from Sacramento dies in West Sac

NEWS-LEDGER ONLINE — DEC 22, 2012 —

A Sacramento man died in a car-versus-bicycle accident this morning on West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento.

According to Lieutenant Tod Sockman of the West Sacramento Police Department, both the cyclist from Sacramento and the car that struck him were going eastbound along the 2000-block of West Capitol when the collision occurred just after 7 a.m.

[adrotate group=”10″] “The initial investigation indicates both the vehicle and a bicyclist were traveling eastbound on West Capitol Avenue when the bicyclist swerved to miss a large puddle of water,” said Sockman in a press release. “The bicyclist pulled into the number two lane of traffic in front of the vehicle just before the collision. Weather conditions were severe and may have been a contributing factor in the collision. The bicyclist, a 51 year old male from Sacramento, suffered major head trauma and was pronounced dead on scene. His identity is being withheld until his next of kin can be notified. The driver, a resident of West Sacramento, was not injured in the accident. Speed and or alcohol does not appear to be a contributing factor in this accident.”

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

Photo: sign of the season

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER NEWSPAPER — DEC 19, 2012 —

The baseball player statues in front of city hall are ready for the holidays. The real question is, are you?

These slightly-bigger-than-life statues are playing ball in front of city hall, at 1100 West Capitol Avenue. (News-Ledger photo)

___________________________________

EDITOR’S NOTE:

The News-Ledger reported more about these statues — including how they ended up in West Sacramento — shortly after they were installed. Here’s that article from 2011:

May 18, 2011News-Ledger

By Steve MarschkeNews-Ledger Editor

There are a couple of new guys playing baseball in the middle of the 1100-block of West Capitol Avenue – oversized, bronze fellows. The sculpture was installed with little fanfare several weeks ago after West Sacramento city staff saw an opportunity to pick up some “public art” from storage at Sacramento’s Crocker museum. The city has a policy promoting public art.

[adrotate group=”7″] “The baseball players were originally commissioned by Frank and Lee Luckenbill as part of their effort to bring a regional stadium,” said Mark Zollo, a senior administrative analyst for the redevelopment agency. “At some point, the Luckenbills donated them to the Crocker. They were on display at Crocker Park. The pitcher was up on one foot, supported by a dowel, and some kids pulled the pitcher over. So the Crocker put the sculpture in storage.”

“Les Bowman (a former manager in Zollo’s department) contacted the Crocker. We initiated the loan with them, and in exchange for the loan, we agreed to do a restoration. We paid about $20,000 for restoration and installation. They gave us a loan through 2014, but we hope to extend that.”

Zollo said that the sculpture is mounted more securely than it was in Sacramento, and the location is pretty well-trafficked and well-lighted, so he hopes it won’t be vandalized.

Ultimately, the city would like to put the two baseball players on display on some city land near the entrance to Raley Field – the region’s minor league baseball stadium. That site isn’t ready yet, though, because it’s under construction and sparsely developed nearby.

“This location (at West Capitol) was selected more as a temporary location – we wanted a place where there is a lot of activity.”

The piece is called, simply, “Baseball Players,” and it was designed by artist Lisa Reinertson of Davis. The two figures, who are somewhat crouched over, stand about eight to nine feet tall.

The Luckenbills are aware that the statues have been moved, and approve of the loan, he said. The artist may not yet be aware that her baseball players are having a game in the middle of West Sacramento’s main street.

An attempt to reach artist Reinertson wasn’t immediately successful.

EDITOR’S NOTE, 5/23/2011: After we went to press for the above article, artist Lisa Reinertson emailed us a response to an inquiry made by the News-Ledger. We had asked her whom she used as models for this artwork. We heard from citizens who thought the “hitter” might have been modeled on Rickey Henderson or Felipe Alou.

The artist responded:

“The artwork was meant to be a more universal portrayal of a pitcher and batter and not anyone’s particular portraits. “To answer your question- I used models who were baseball players up at Chico State where I was teaching at the time. (1991?) They were both assistant coaches, one a pitcher and one a batter. Since the stadium the sculptures were originally planned for was to have a new baseball team, they were not to be portraits of any famous players from existing teams elsewhere. I did go and see professional games as I did my homework on the sculpture and I did look at and get inspiration from images of stances that may look familiar to those in the know.
“My concept for the sculpture was to capture the psychological battle between the pitcher and batter as they are about to throw the ball and strike it back. I wanted to portray the physical tension of each player winding up and ready- so the exact moment before the movement forward for each player was the moment I focused on capturing.”

Do you like what you see here?

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You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

Chamber honors several businesspeople

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — DEC 19, 2012 —

The West Sacramento Chamber of Commerce will install new board members and hand out its annual business awards on Jan. 17.

“Businessperson of the Year” award will go to Michelle Vandeheetkamp, Wicked West Pizza & BBQ, for “making a difference in our community.”

The “Business of the Year” will be IKEA, for “outstanding contributions to the community.”

The “Volunteer of the Year” will be Dan Ramos of Ramco, “for unselfish service.”

The Chamber’s “Ambassador of the Year” is Maria Ramos of Hampton Inn and Suites.

A note regarding the fact that three of the award-winners have the same last name: Dan Ramos is a nephew of Bill Ramos. Maria Ramos is not related to the other two.

The chamber event will take place at 5:30 p.m. in the civic center galleria. For table sponsorships, tickets or other information, call 371-7042 or visit www.westsacramentochamber.com.

Copyright News-Ledger 2012

Go climb a nearby mountain

The viewscape from Berryessa Peak, just this side of Lake Berryessa (courtesy of Tuleyome Trails)

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — DEC 12, 2012 —

Guest Commentary by Charlotte OrrTuleyome Association

December 11th was designated International Mountain Day. The day was created by the UN in 2003 to promote awareness about the importance of the world’s mountains and highlands. Mountains are crucial to life, provide most of the world’s fresh water, harbor a rich variety of plants and animals, and are home to one in ten people. Luckily in our back yard, you don’t have to go far to appreciate breath taking mountains.

[adrotate group=”7″] Nearby there is Berryessa Peak, the highest point of Blue Ridge; a small mountain ridge east of Lake Berryessa. In September 2008, private landowners established a trail easement that opened up 9,100 acres of public lands and gave public access to the remarkable views and summit of Berryessa Peak.

Also worth mentioning is Snow Mountain, located in the 37,000 acre Snow Mountain Wilderness in the Mendocino National Forest. The tallest peak, known as Snow Mountain East is renowned for being the highest point in both Colusa and Lake Counties. The hike to the top of East Peak is a moderate climb, providing stunning views of the Sacramento Valley and the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the east, Clear Lake to the southwest, and the Mendocino National Forest to the North. During the winter, the summits of Snow Mountain accumulate layers of snow, or a “snowpack” that can last until June. These snow packs are an important water source that feed into nearby streams and rivers as they melt.

Snow Mountain Alpines (photo courtesy of Jim Eaton)

As we celebrate International Mountain Day and the need to protect our majestic mountains, we must also bring attention to the lands that surround them. The Berryessa Snow Mountain region is a dazzling outdoor wonderland, with beautiful scenic views, a wide range of plants and wildlife, and abundant recreational opportunities. The region and its mountains deserve to be permanently protected for the enjoyment and benefit of current and future generations.

There are currently bills in both the house (H.R.5545), and the senate (S.3375) to permanently protect 320,000 acres of Federal public lands in the Berryessa Snow Mountain region in Napa, Lake, Mendocino, and Yolo counties. For more information on permanent protection for these lands, or to get involved, please visit www.berryessasnowmountain.org

In the meantime, remember International Mountain Day, and take some time out to explore and appreciate the beautiful mountain areas closest to your home and heart.

Do you like what you see here?

You can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger’s articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledge newspaper. It’s only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.

You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).

‘A Life’s Ride’: new bench is memorial

This bike isn’t made for riding: Artist Terrence Martin joins Cathy Yokoyama and her daughter Stacy at the installation of a new memorial bench honoring the life of Cathy’s late husband, a West Sacramento farmer. (News-Ledger photo)

FROM THE NEWS-LEDGER — DEC 12, 2012

New memorial combines a West Sac man’s work, and his passion —

By Steve MarschkeNews-Ledger Editor

In retrospect, it seems obvious:

Andrew Yokoyama was a lifelong West Sacramentan, a farmer, an enthusiastic bicyclist. Why not commemorate his life with a bicycle-themed memorial right along the road so many cyclists take across the Tower Bridge? And why not build that memorial, as much as possible, out of implements and tools from his Southport farm?

On Friday morning, that vision came to be. Next to the Tower Bridge and the state “ziggurat” building, artist Terrence Martin supervised as his one-ton “A Life’s Ride” sculpture was bolted into the concrete. Passersby began sending curious glances almost immediately.

Cathy Yokoyama, Andy’s surviving wife, estimated that Martin had made the piece using “about two-thirds” of the material from the Yokoyama family farm in Southport – discs, spacers, tractor wheel parts and so forth.

“We asked him to use parts from the farm, if he was good with that idea,” said Cathy Yokoyama. “He was.”

ANDREW YOKOYAMA: Lifelong West Sacramento resident and farmer

Family friend Carol Davis was instrumental in choosing artist Terrence Martin – whose “Jagged Edge” art studio is located near the west end of West Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento. Davis also coordinated plans for the bench with the City of West Sacramento, because its new home was to be on city park property.

“Carol really was the one who organized the whole thing,” added Yokoyama.

“We told (Martin) we wanted a bench,” she recalled. “Carol had seen his benches at the Sacramento Zoo and at Fountains, in Roseville. We were thinking of the form of a bicycle because we were thinking of putting it along the bike path, and also because Andy really enjoyed biking.”

Andy Yokoyama was the grandson of an immigrant from Japan who farmed in Sacramento’s Pocket area, according to Dena Kirtley of the West Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department (Kirtley took the sculpture through the city permit process).

Andy’s father was placed in an internment camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II, then set up as a farmer in West Sacramento.

[adrotate group=”7″] Andy himself was born in 1951. He graduated from UC Davis and joined his dad on the farm, growing green onions and spinach on a small family farm near Linden and South River road, and also farming other land leased in Southport. In 2000, he took a job with the state, but continued farming on weekends. Yokoyama planted a final crop of wheat and safflower in 2011 as he became increasingly ill. He died in January, 2012.

“Some of the local farmers helped organize and get that harvest in,” said Cathy Yokoyama. “We knew about his illness for several years, but he was probably (seriously) sick for about a year.”

The new sculpture has the form of a bike – complete with handlebars and a seat. It comes with a pre-rusted finish, explained Martin, and all the sharp edges have been painstakingly ground down for safety. The “bike” cradles a bench with a seat made of steel cylinders.

Yokoyama says a number of people chipped in to pay for it, although she hasn’t yet seen the final cost submitted by Martin.

“I used donations from (Andy’s) work, from my dinner group and my work,” she said. “I work for the California State teachers’ retirement system, in the big tower building nearby.”

She said she’s quite happy with how the memorial turned out. Within a couple of days of its installation, the sculpture had experienced – and recovered from – its first misadventure.

“It got tagged (with graffiti) over the weekend,” Yokoyama reported Monday. “Someone had written their name in blue. I reported it to the parks department. They are just going to clean it up every time, until whoever does it gets tired of it.”

You can see “A Life’s Ride,” and sit for a spell, at River Walk Park next to the “ziggurat.”

Do you like what you see here?

You can support local journalism, support this website, and see all the News-Ledger’s articles every week! Subscribe to the News-Ledge newspaper. It’s only $20 per year within West Sacramento – once a week, delivered to your mailbox.

You can even try it for free for two months if you live in West Sacramento. Just send your name and mailing address to FreeTrial@news-ledger.com (offer open to new subscribers in West Sacramento ZIP codes 95691 & 95605).